Tuna Salad Recipe

Ever since I can remember we have been enjoying tuna salad sandwiches. When I was younger we pretty much were given tuna and only mayo.

It wasn’t until much later on that we started adding all kinds of good things to our tuna salad and still do to this very day. Now, tuna just doesn’t taste the same without all of the “stuff” in it!

Classic Tuna Salad Recipe

To me, classic tuna salad has to include tuna, mayo, celery, onions, salt and pepper. Our basic version includes all of it with so many options for you to pick from.

Subway Tuna Salad Recipe

A classic tuna sub from subway is so easy to create in your own home. All you will need is tuna and mayo and that is it. Some people will include a teaspoon or so of lemon juice to reduce the fishy taste but the truth is Subway tuna salad only uses tuna and mayo.

I prefer to include more options in my tuna salad but at Subway you can accomplish basically the same thing by including all of their toppings on top of and underneath plain tuna salad.

Combine your ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate.

Make sure you have a submarine, hoagie bun or bread of your choice. If you’re adding the works place 1/2 cup of shredded lettuce on the bottom of your bun.

Next, add a few tomato slices, topped with 2 or 3 purple or red onion rings.

Cover onion with a few pickle slices.

Add the 3 scoops of tuna on top of the pickles, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place 2 slices of cheese on top.

Finish your sandwich off with the top of your bun or roll or slice of bread.

Don’t forget about all of the other Subway toppings you can add as well like sweet peppers, bean sprouts, sliced olives, sliced jalapenos, cucumbers and so much more.

What are some Tuna Salad ideas?

Truth be told, there is no correct way to make tuna. You just need to include anything and everything you want! Really. You are only limited by your imagination! Here are some suggestions.

Pickles, sweet, dill or mustard pickles (my husbands favorite), chopped fine, add some crunch and a lot of flavor. Relish also works well in a pinch!

Apples, sweet or tart, diced, is delicious in a tuna salad.

Tomatoes diced, without the pulp, add color and flavor to an otherwise boring tuna salad! You can also place tomato slices on top of the egg salad when serving.

Alfalfa sprouts are so tasty on top of your tuna salad sandwich!

Cooked pasta is also a delightful change and a wonderful side dish!

Use carrots or celery sticks to scoop your tuna. A great snack or appetizer.

How to make a Tuna Melt

Ready to try something new or different? Try making an easy tuna melt! You have four options.

Preheat your oven to broil.

Toast, even lightly, your bread or buns that you are using to avoid the bread from becoming soggy.

If you love cheese, add a slice to one piece of toasted bread or one half of the bun. Spread tuna on top of the cheese slice, or shredded cheese for that matter. I don’t always add an extra slice of cheese underneath the tuna but my son loves it this way.

Flatten tuna, as much as possible, and place a slice or pile of shredded cheese on top of the tuna.

Using a rimmed baking sheet, place open faced tuna sandwiches on top, as evenly spaced as possible.

Place in your oven to lightly brown and melt your cheese.

Serve immediately.

The second option is basically a grilled cheese sandwich with tuna in it.

Butter one side of two slices of your favorite bread, the same size or as close as possible.

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, lay one piece of bread in the skillet, butter side down. Again, if you are a cheese lover, place a slice of cheese on top of the slice of bread. Top with a thick layer of your tuna salad.

Next, top with a piece of cheese and a second piece of buttered bread, butter side up.

When the bottom piece of bread is golden brown, carefully flip the entire tuna melt.

Continue cooking until the second side is browned. Remove from heat and serve.

Brush the tops with melted butter then sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or golden brown.

Healthy Tuna Salad Recipe

To make tuna salad healthier, but still tasty, use less mayo or a combination of mayo and Greek yogurt or just use Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise altogether.

I always add some mayo or salad dressing to my Greek yogurt. I just have to add some.

You can also use a light cucumber dressing, coleslaw dressing, creamy greek, ranch dressing or caesar salad dressing with less mayo and Greek yogurt. Taste your mixture to see what your taste buds want most!

I’m strongly suggesting you try to add some low calorie dressing to some Greek yogurt and perhaps a small amount of mayo. You have to check out the taste.

Hopefully you will be as pleasantly surprised as I was when I tried it the first time.

Add everything else you want to include and you will be happy with the lower calorie and healthier result!

What are some healthy ways to eat Tuna Salad?

I definitely don’t eat as much bread as I used to. If you would still like to enjoy some tuna without bread I have a couple suggestions below.

We regularly scrape out the inside of a tomato, fill it with tuna salad and serve it cold. Your other option is to try our Tomato Tuna or Crab Melts. Both are delicious in their own right!

On top of a salad filled with greens and your favorite vegetables.

Wrap the tuna salad up in your favorite tortilla or use lettuce or even kale! Different and delicious!

Lastly, I love our Tuna Egg Salad Roll Ups which are a fabulous appetizer, lunch or snack! Egg and tuna salad blend perfectly together and the taste is just fabulous and should be tried by all! At least once!

Ingredients in the Best Classic Tuna Salad

tuna

mayo

celery

green onion

garlic

dijon mustard

sweet pickles, pickle relish or dill

lemon juice

salt

pepper

Options

tomato

peppers

lettuce

bean sprouts

hard boiled egg slices

How to make the Best Classic Tuna Salad Recipe

Press cut tuna lid carefully, so you don’t hurt yourself, into the tuna, while you are holding it over the sink to drain the liquid away. Your other option is to use paper towel and squeeze out the liquid from the tuna.

Myself, I always tend to roll the dice by pressing in the lid and squeezing out all of the liquid.

In a medium sized bowl, combine tuna, celery, onion and garlic.

Next, add pickles, relish or dill.

Last, add mayo, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Stir until blended together and combined.

Our Favorite Tuna Salad tastes even better if you let it chill for a couple hours in your fridge, even though I usually don’t plan well enough to do that!

This tuna salad can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 2 days.

Now that you know how to make Our Favorite Tuna Salad I believe it will be your favorite tuna salad too! Perfect for any occasion or no occasion at all!

How to make a Tuna Sandwich

Once you have made your tuna salad, spread it in a thick layer on bread, buns or rolls, crackers or rolled into a tortilla wrap. Top with lettuce, tomato, bean sprouts, hard boiled egg slices, or sliced pickles. Anything your heart desires!

How Long Does Tuna Salad last?

If our Best Classic Tuna Salad is properly stored, in an airtight container, your tuna salad will last for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

What kind of Tuna do I use for Tuna Salad?

I prefer to use tuna packed in water. It is generally healthier than tuna packed in oil. If all you have is tuna packed in oil just make sure to squeeze as much liquid out of the tuna as possible.

Some suggest rinsing the tuna with water and pressing it with your tuna lid to remove as much oil as possible.

OPTIONS

tomatoes

peppers

Instructions

Press cut tuna lid carefully, so you don't hurt yourself, into the tuna, while you are holding it over the sink to drain the liquid away. Your other option is to use paper towel and squeeze out the liquid from the tuna.

In a medium sized bowl, combine tuna, celery, onion and garlic.

Next, add pickles, relish or dill.

Last, add mayo, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Stir until blended together and combined.

This tuna salad can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 2 days.

Comments

Made this recipe on October 5/19 and was excellent. No need to add any more or less of anything. I served the sandwiches with tomato slices, lettuce or pickles on top and the sandwiches presented well and were a big hit. You cannot go wrong with this recipe. Thank you Divas for another great recipe

Welcome!

We are the kitchen divas: Karin and my partner in life Ken.
We have been attached at the heart and hip since the first day we met, and we love to create new dishes to keep things interesting. Variety is definitely the spice of life!